Russian Defector’s Murder in Resort Catches Spain Off Guard
- Pilot who flew in helicopter to Ukraine was killed in Alicante
- Spanish foreign minister says government is awaiting forensics
Spain expressed concern over the killing of a Russian military deserter in a popular tourist resort, though stopped short of pointing the finger at the Kremlin’s security services as the government awaits the forensic report.
Maxim Kuzminov, a former Russian air-force captain who defected to Ukraine last year, was shot dead earlier this month in Alicante, southeast Spain. A Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman confirmed his killing, without giving further details. A top Russian intelligence official referred to Kuzminov as a “moral corpse” because of his actions.